Health Care IT Will Need to Support Diverse Mobile Devices: Report

By Brian T. Horowitz |
Posted 2011-08-11

The health care industry will need its IT specialists to support
multiple platforms of mobile computing despite the apparent popularity
of specific devices such as Apple's iPad, according to a new report by
research
firm Frost
& Sullivan.

The white paper "Mobile Devices and Healthcare: What's New, What Fits and How Do You Decide?" details how the health care
industry must move away from established computer platforms for health care
applications and support all types of mobile devices, including smartphones,
tablets, push-to-talk products and M2M (machine-to-machine) remote-monitoring
devices.

"Today, it really is unreasonable to expect a completely homogenous environment in which one type of device is universally
accepted by all medical staff," Jeanine Sterling, a senior industry
analyst for Frost & Sullivan, wrote in an email to eWEEK. "Different
types of workers have different communication needs."

In fact, many doctors prefer to use their own devices in hospitals, Sterling
noted. Health care organizations turn to mobile devices to help manage their
workflow to control costs, improve efficiency and comply with government and
industry regulations, according to Sterling.

Factors affecting which devices doctors and clinicians choose will
vary among organizations depending on the requirements for
functionality,
security, usability, network connectivity, durability, available
applications
and price, according to the report.

The number of apps available for phones on platforms such as Apple
iOS and Google Android also continue to grow, she noted. Major
smartphone
platforms doctors use also include RIM BlackBerry and Windows Phone 7.
On
smartphones, physicians access drug reference libraries, diagnostic
tools, EHRs
and workflow monitoring tools, according to the report.

Tablets

"Tablets are also expected to expand rapidly into various health care environments," Sterling
said. "These aren't the medical tablets of yesteryear. They're slimmer,
lighter and have some new, highly attractive capabilities."

The speed, performance and clarity that tablets deliver are essential for medical applications, Sterling
added. Caregivers can share images and data among colleagues and with patients.

As more diagnostic tools and EHR applications are developed in health care, the number of apps for tablets will soar, she said.

The iPad
is doctors' first choice among tablets, as online marketing firm Aptilon
has reported. Still, Android tablets with their hardware-intensive video and 3D
imaging will challenge Apple's lead, according to Mobihealthnews.

Push-to-talk mobile devices are widely used by government workers,
facilities managers and first responders such as EMT technicians and
police
officers. They allow users to connect in less than a second, Sterling
noted. In addition they bring a
closed-loop, secure connection, which is ideal for security officers.
These devices now include maps, photo capture, GPS locationing and live
chat,
according to Sterling.

Samsung and Verizon just announced a new push-to-talk rugged device called the Convoy
2, which makes it easier for first responders, construction workers and
military personnel to communicate by pressing a single button.

"Machine-to-machine devices are receiving increasing attention,
bridging the gap between health care providers and patients who find
it difficult-or just not necessary-to travel to a hospital or doctor's
office," Sterling
said. "These small devices can use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity to
wirelessly
capture and communicate a person's data to their health care provider."

M2M can help patients manage chronic conditions such as heart
ailments or diabetes or keep track of fitness progress. They're also
helpful in caring for the elderly, she noted.

As an example of a carrier implementing mobile technology in health
care, Frost & Sullivan cited Sprint, which sponsored the report. Sprint's
3G and 4G networks power BL Healthcare's M2M remote-monitoring telemedicine
platform, which allows patients to receive care from their home using wireless diagnostic tools.

Sprint also enables the M2M wireless network for companies such as Ideal Life, a
manufacturer of devices that transmit data about a patient's blood glucose levels, blood pressure, weight and oxygen levels.

"Wireless carriers in general are positioned to be the kind of end-to-end mobile partners that can guide health care providers
through the mobile device selection process," Sterling said. "Sprint, in particular,
has done the due diligence and is partnering with top-tier vendors to assemble
an excellent selection of devices for the health care sector."